Guatemala: Urgent Concern For Safety Of Human Rights Defenders Of San Miguel Ixtahuacan Following Peaceful Protests

The Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala

Collectif Guatemala

Breaking the Silence

Rights Action

We denounce the human rights violations and abuses committed today against peaceful protesters in San Miguel Ixtahuacán, Guatemala. The protest, demanding compliance with precautionary measures ordered by the Interamerican Commission for Human Rights regarding the Marlin mine, took place without incident during the day. In late afternoon, participants returning from the peaceful roadblocks were reportedly confronted and attacked by community development council (COCODE) members and mine workers in San José Ixcaniche.

According to participants in the protest, Miguel Angel Bámaca and Aniseto López were beaten and threatened with lynching; one bus including approximately 40 men and women have been illegally detained and some beaten in the community of San José Ixcaniche. As this alert is being written, they remain detained. We are deeply concerned that the lives of human rights defenders are at risk.

Contact has been established with the local Human Rights Procurator's (PDH) office, the local Presidential Commission for Defense of Human Rights (COPREDEH) and police, as well as national and international organizations to report these acts.

We ask you to stay alert and be ready to respond when more information and action requests are available from local organizations supporting communities resisting unjust mining in Guatemala.

FIRST: Today, on February 28, 2011, communities took action to pressure the government of Guatemala to carry out the Precautionary Measures MC-260-07 granted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, which include the temporary suspension of [Goldcorp Inc's] Marlin mine. The action consisted in peacefully blocking the main routes used by the company in a way that respects the Constitution of our country, in which we have the right to protest.

SECOND: When the blockade began, a group of approximately 20 people assaulted Miguel Bamaca, despite the fact that the Presidential Human Rights Commission has granted him protective measures. Miguel Bamaca was beaten mercilessly by a family known as the Mejia family, together with neighbours who work for the company [Goldcorp Inc]. These people have strong ties to [Goldcorp] and also to illegal business activities. This incident occurred at four thirty in the afternoon in a location known as Siete Platos.

THIRD: On the way back, near the community of San Jose Ixcaniche, approximately 70 members of this community intercepted the bus and began to assault various people who were travelling in the bus. Among them, our comrade Aniseto Lopez and others were beaten without being able to defend themselves. The attackers came armed with guns, stones, knives, sticks, and other weapons. Right now, approximately 50 people are kidnapped and being threatened by the community of San Jose Ixcaniche and the Mejia family.

FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE:

* We demand that the State of Guatemala vigorously ensure respect for the physical integrity and security of these people * We ask the International Community for timely support in the face of this terrible violation of human rights * We denounce the horrible practice of the mining company [Goldcorp Inc] that manipulates its workers and places them in confrontation with the communities legally defending a right * We reject this practice created by the company [Goldcorp] by ordering its workers to take 60 people hostage.

We ask the IACHR to maintain its vigilance and to request of the State of Guatemala the strict respect of human rights, and particularly those of Peoples and communities.